Ryder Hesjedal is in Europe and has just finished his first race with U.S. Postal. He reports that it is considerably harder with the big guns...

Just wanted to drop a line and let you know that I have started racing here in Belgium with USPS. I raced E3 Prisj Vlanderen 1.1 cat on Saturday. I didn't finish, but it was a very hard race to start the road season with as most of the big guns are making there final preparation for the big classics!

I just helped Stijn De Volder and Max, both contenders, as much as possible in the early part of the race. I was able to get a good feel of the effort on the cobbles and the importance of the positioning on the small roads - once you fall too far back it is very hard to stay with main bunch!

This was my deal at about the 150km mark, as the group I was in decided that enough was enough coming off a section of cobbles and we lost contact to the main bunch. We continued to ride to the finish in that same bunch and that was the end of my first real professional race in Belgium.

I am starting in Three Days of De Panne tomorrow and hoping the legs come around some more as this is one of the hardest races out there! We will have a strong team with George (Hincapie) joining us and Ekimov returning to racing after a crash last week that kept him out of E3. Luckily the weather is very good at the moment as these races can be even more brutal (hard to believe!). Racing these races is definitely a specialty and there are a lot of specialists. Just going to try and hang on!

Barry To Do More Classics

Michael Barry will miss the Tour de Georgia, and is scheduled to race Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Fleche Wallonne instead.

Blizzard Bike Club - Fort St. John, BCCourtesy Pat Ferris

March 28/2004

Mike Heintzman won the final Beatton Park Roubaix (ROO-Bay), Sunday, and took home the Roubaix Cup with 14 points for the three race series. 1998 winner Pat Ferris was second, as well as second overall with 13 points. 2003 co-winner Stephen Ferris was third at 9 points.

Twelve riders came out under very warm circumstances. There was some concern about what type of tire for the icy Rod and Gun Club climb. That turned out to be a non- issue as traction was not bad.

Stephen and Pat Ferris, Mike Heintzman and Richard Howes pulled away at the start. They stayed together exchanging attacks until just before the turnoff, on to the gravel/mud section. Pat Ferris had a short lead on the first hill until Mike caught up.

Mike then pulled away for a short lead, which slowly became a bigger lead until he finally stayed away for the win. Stephen Ferris and Richard Howes traded positions until the younger rider managed to stay away.

Heintzman came in with a time of 1:00:00 hours for the 30 km event. Pat Ferris was second at 1:03:00 and Stephen Ferris third with 1:05:00. Richard Howes had 1:05:44 for 4th and Roger St. Jean 1:09:00 for 5th. Gary Hilderman was 6th at 1:14:00, Dean Lowry 1:16:00, Matt Jarnagin 1:20:00, Gord Harris 1:21:00, Keith Koebel 1:27:00, Barb Polehoykie 1:29:00 and Adam Currie 1:36:00.

Coming up: First Thursday night time trial of the season April 1 at 6:15 pm. at the Baldonnel School.

Next Sunday's race is starting at the Pineview Pullout at 2:00 pm for a 40 km road race.

Tour du Canada ITT

CycleCanada is pleased to announce the date for the 2004 Tour du Canada Time Trial.

This is a citizen's event sponsored by CycleCanada. The event is held annually and in 2004 it will be held on May 23, 2004 in Simcoe County, Ontario, just north of Toronto. Categories for prizes will be established to recognize a broad range of skill levels.